Needle bars in a comber



Dec. 22, 1964 RYOSUKE HATTOR! 3,161,921

NEEDLE- BARS IN A COMBER Filed March 1 1962 United States Patent Ofifice 3,151,921 Patented Dec. 22, 1964 This invention relates to textile combers, and more particularly to a new and improved comber cylinder of the type having a cyilnder half lap and a plurality of needle bars which are fixed in parallel rows, generally along generatrices of the drum, to the cylinder half lap, each of said needle bars having a comb array of needles fixed thereto in a row along a common lateral surface at its outer extremity and projecting outwardly therefrom beyond an outer face of the bar.

Frequently in the case of a conventional cylinder for a comber of the above-stated type, when sliver lap is combed, the lap residue of such substances as short fibers, which have been combed off, becomes entwined about the needles. For this reason, the combing action becomes defective, and, at the same time, lumps of short fibers in nap form, which are gradually formed, become mixed with the sliver lap which has been combed. As a result, the quality of the product is reduced.

It is, therefore, a principal object of the present invention to provide a cylinder for combers in which lap refuse such as short fibers as described above does not readily become entwined.

In general, a cylinder roller brush is provided to brush above-mentioned needles. In the conventional cylinder, however, it has been found to be impossible to brush these short fibers oif completely. r

It is, therefore, a more specific object of this invention to provide a cylinder which is so constructed as to enable the complete brushing olf of lap residue of such substances as short fibers which may have become entwined about the needles.

These and other objects of this invention, some of which will become more readily apparent hereinafter, have been attained by redeveloping the needle bars; each of said needle bars has an outwardly concave outer surface with a configuratiemsuch that at least the rear lateral edge of said outer surfac is disposed at least in the region of closestapproach, the cylindrical surface generated by the rotating brush tips of a circular brush provided to clean the half-lap cylinder.

The nature and details of the invention as well as the manner in which the foregoing objects may best be achieved will be mdre clearly apparent by reference to the following description of particular embodiments of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like parts are designated by like reference numerals, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a partial, schematic elevational view showing the principal parts of a conve tional cylinder;

FIG. 2 is a detail view,. wn to an enlarged scale, showing a portion of the row of several needles used in a conventional cylinder FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 1 showing the principal parts of a first embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 4 is a view of a fragment of the embodiment of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG- 4 showing the principal parts of a second embodiment of the invention.

In the case of a conventional cylinder A, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the outer surface In of the outer extremity of each of the needle bars 1, which, by their continuous and regular disposition, substantially form the outer contour of the cylinder, is formed as a convex surface or a plane surface, and the angle 6 between this outer surface 10 of each needle bar and the needle array 2 alfixed to the front lateral face of the needle bar disposed adjacent the rear side of the first said needle bar is an acute angle.

5 Furthermore, a gap :1 exists between the rear edge 1b of each needle bar 1 and the needles 2 of the needle bar disposed adjacent the rear side of said edge 1b. When the needles 2 comb a sliver lap, residue (e.g., short fibers) which is combed oil by the needles 2 and becomes en- 10 twined about them is gradually pushed toward the 'root of the needle bar and readily accumulates in the corner formed between each surface 1a and the roots of the needles 2 disposed adjacent the rear edge of said surface la.

The combing surface of cylinder A is brushed by a brush 3 of circular section which is generally provided below the said cylinder and rotates at a high speed in a sense counter to that of the cylinder for purpose of brushing 01f the aforesaid short-fiber residue. However, since the angle 9 of the aforesaid corner is an acute angle, as stated and, furthermore, is in a state in which it is forced into the aforesaid gap d, so that removal of this residue is difoff the short fibers which have become entwined about the I ficult. Consequently, in the case of the conventional cylinder, this residue tends to remain in the corners and cannot be completely removed. That is, the residue removal eflioiency is extremely low. As stated previously, this ad fibers are formed in the corners, then become mixed with v the product, the of which is thereby lowered. This defect has necessitated the stopping of the comber after a certain period of operation. and the cleaning of the cylinder. Obviously, the requirement for cleaning textile considerably lowers the productive efliciency of the textile comber.

The foregoing disadvantages of conventional comber cylinders have been eliminated by the present invention, one embodiment of which will now be described with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4. In the half-lap cylinder A of this embodiment, having a needle-bar support B, the outer surface In of the outer extremity of each needle bar 1 has an outwardly concave sectional profile so as to make the angle 8 between a tangent to the surface at its rear side radially proiccting edge 1b, adjacent the rear lateral face 1c, of said outer surface In and the free extremities of the needles 2 of the rearward'ly adjacent needle bar is an obtuse angle. By making this angle 0 an obtuse angle, the tendency of refuse such as short fibers which has been combed off to aculmulate in the aforesaid corners is greatly reduced. Moreover, as indicated in FIGS. 3 and 4, the tips of the bristles 3 of a cylindrical brush reach fully into these corners and can completely brush off the refuse such as short fibers which is entwined about the needles 2 and exists in these corners. The needles 2 are secured to each bar along its front lateral face 1d.

Thus the cylinder A can always be kept in a clean condition, wherefore stopping the machine for celaning becomes unnecessary, and high production efiiciency is ob tainable. Furthermore, the cylinder can accomplish effective and uniform combing action.

In another embodiment of the invention as illustrated in FIG. 5, the outersurface 1a of the outer extremity of each needle bar 1 is given an arcuate sectional profile whose radius of curvature is equal to that of brush 3 and which coincides with the brush surface circle of the bristles 3 when the center radius line CR of the said outer surface 1:! coincides with the straight line 0 0 (refer to FIGS, 1 and 3) between the center 0, of rotation of the cylinder A and the center O of rotation of the said circular brush 3. By this configuration, it is possible to obtain close contact between the outer surfaces 1a of the outer end edges of the needle bar 1, which substantially form the outer peripheral surface of the cylinder, and the circular brush 3, whereby it is possible to obtain a thorough cleaning action of the brush.

Although this invention has been described with respect to particular embodiments thereof, it is not to be so limited as changes and modifications may be made therein which are within the full intended scope of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. The. combination, with a.- half-lap cylinder rotatable about an axis and a brush for clearing residue from said half-lap cylinder rotatable about an axis parallel to the axis of said cylinder and generating a generally cylindrical brushing surface upon rotation, of a plurality of needle bars angularly spaced about the periphery of said halflap cylinder and lying substantially along generatrices thereof, each of said needle bars having a front lateral surface disposed forwardly in the direction of rotation of said half-lap cylinder and provided with a common array of outwardly extending parallel needles, a rear lateral surface, and an extremity projecting outwardly beyond said cylinder and provided with an outwardly concave end face. terminating at said rear surface in a genorally radially outwardly projecting edge engageable by said brush-in a position of closest approach of said needle Bar and said brush upon rotation of said brush and said half-lap. cylinder.

2. The combination, with a half-lap cylinder rotatable about an axis and a brush foroleaning residue from said half-lap cylinder rotatable about an axis parallel to the axis of said-cylinder. and generating a generally cylindrical brushing surface upon rotation, of-a plurality of needle bars angularly spaced about the periphery of said halflap cylinder and lying.- substantially along generatrices thereof, each of said needle bars having a' front lateral surface disposed. forwardly in the direction of rotation of said half-lap cylinder and provided with a common array of outwardly extending parallel needles, a rear lateral surface, and an extremity projecting outwardly beyond said cylinder and provided with an outwardly concave end face terminating at said rear surface in an edge engageable by said brush in a position of closest approach of said needle bar and said brush upon rotation of said brush and said half-lap cylinder, said outwardly concave end face having a tangent at said edge forming with the free extremities of the needles of a rearwardly adjacent needle bar is an obtuse angle.

3. The combination, with a half-lap cylinder rotatable about an axis and a brush for clearing residue from said half-lap cylinder rotatable about amaxis parallel to the axis of said cylinder and generating a generally cylindrical brushing surface upon rotation, of a pluraliry-hf needle bars angularly spaced about the periphery of'saidhalflap cylinder and lying substantially along generatrices thereof, each of said needle bars having a front lateral surface disposed forwardly in the direction of rotation of said half-lap cylinder and provided with a common array of outwardly extending parallel needles, a rear lateral surface, and an ex-tremity projecting outwardly beyond said cylinder and provided with an outwardly concave and face terminating at said rear surface :in an edge engageable by said brush in a position of closest approach of said needle bar and said brush upon rotation of said brush and said half-lap cylinder, said concave end face having. a, radius of curvature equal substantially to the radius of curvature of the brushing surface generated by said brush and lies thereon in said position of closest approach. A 1 .12;

References Cited in the tile of this patent I unrrnn STATES PATENTS I r 1,582,110 Winter Apr. 21, 192k 1,607,029 .Webstcr Nov. 16, 1926 2,977,642

'Edfors Apr. 4, 1961 

1. THE COMBINATION, WITH A HALF-LAP CYLINDER ROTATABLE ABOUT AN AXIS AND A BRUSH FOR CLEARING RESIDUE FROM SAID HALF-LAP CYLINDER ROTATABLE ABOUT AN AXIS PARALLEL TO THE AXIS OF SAID CYLINDER AND GENERATING A GENERALLY CYLINDRICAL BRUSHING SURFACE UPON ROTATION, OF A PLURALITY OF NEEDLE BARS ANGULARLY SPACED ABOUT THE PERIPHERY OF SAID HALFLAP CYLINDER AND LYING SUBSTANTIALLY ALONG GENERATRICES THEREOF, EACH OF SAID NEEDLE BARS HAVING A FRONT LATERAL SURFACE DISPOSED FORWARDLY IN THE DIRECTION OF ROTATION OF SAID HALF-LAP CYLINDER AND PROVIDED WITH A COMMON ARRAY OF OUTWARDLY EXTENDING PARALLEL NEEDLES, A REAR LATERAL SURFACE, AND AN EXTREMITY PROJECTING OUTWARDLY BEYOND SAID CYLINDER AND PROVIDED WITH AN OUTWARDLY CONCAVE END FACE TERMINATING AT SAID REAR SURFACE IN A GENERALLY RADIALLY OUTWARDLY PROJECTING EDGE ENGAGEABLE BY SAID BRUSH IN A POSITION OF CLOSEST APPROACH OF SAID NEEDLE BAR AND SAID BRUSH UPON ROTATION OF SAID BRUSH AND SAID HALF-LAP CYLINDER. 